Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers

[TriSkiRun99]

After sea swimming regularly since May I’m hoping to carry on. Is anyone else hoping to carry on open water or sea swimming through the winter? If you fancy supporting each other and sharing hints n tips come join me. I’ve just bought some socks and neoprene hat, I’m hoping to to stay in my cossie as long as possible but I do have a wet suit if I cave.

The kids have wetsuits to bodyguard but I just go on my swimsuit.i like the cold burn on skin. Not been for a few weeks for to combination of work and being ill but should be going tomorrow morning.

I do have a really old (20yrs) wetsuit which is a ‘winter’ one so no idea on thickness but it’s toasty warm fine for a bob n kick but too thick to swim. I bought a blue seventy WMA sprint suit last year which is lovely to swim in if I’m not swimming Skins. I’ve added booties, gloves and wetsuit hat under my normal swim hat which is another layer of comfort. It was wild this morning I nearly went in but opted for a run along the beach instead. Very wild crashing waves though! A couple of brave souls did go in for 10mins I noticed.

TriSkiRun99. Very beautiful- where is it?

I think those bodyboarding or other in/out water based activities are more likely to get cold more quickly because of wind chill factors.

In our area today it’s air temp of 13 degrees but feels 10. Water temperature is about 12.5. Definitely warmer to get in and stop in than be in and out.

Lovely thread

I've been swimming 5-7 times a week since March (day one of lockdown), in in the south west. Just back from a rather lumpy mile in the driving rain - the sea is the best place to be on a wet day!

I'm also looking for wetsuit recommendations, especially where to buy them as stock seems to be low. I've had a Zone 3 which is great but not at all robust, starts to show signs of wear after just a few weeks.

It seems like 5mm is the recommended thickness for winter. I'm pretty tall as well so a bit worried about length- I don't mind about the arms and legs being a bit cropped but don't want to be cut in half. Not much doing on ebay and @RhymesWithOrange yes there doesn't seem a lot in stock.

C skins and xcel both do tall Wetsuits. I am tallish at five foot eight but fine in the regular length, I think that much taller would be better in the tall .
I wish someone would bring out a larger cup size wetsuit though ! Both those brands better than most for women, but still bust squashing.

Hi all, delighted to find this thread! I am based on the west coast of Ireland, in a beautiful area very close to 2 major lakes. After 5 years of not even swimming in summer due to being total chicken about cold water I started daily swimming about 6 weeks ago and am loving it -mostly for the mental health benefits. So far I am in swimsuit with neoprene lake shoes and gloves - cheapie styles from Decathlon. But I do find it very cold for "proper" swimming so generally me and my swim buddies just splash about for 5-10 minutes and get out again. I would like to start swimming properly and actually getting some decent exercise. But I feel I will need a wetsuit to do this. Has anyone tried the Decathlon Aptonia? Its a good price!
www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/aptonia-women-s-neoprene-wetsuit-sd-en-s307021.html

Somewhat cold today on the Durham coast. I don't have a thermometer so don't know the temp. I didn't last too long in just my swimsuit! Lovely though and fab conditions for swimming today. Which made the teenager sulk a bit because good for swimming is bad for boarding.

Gorgeous day for a swim today. Air temp was about 12c and Google tells me the water was 13c. I was in for about 20 mins but it was very choppy and murky, from the storm crossing the atlantic I guess, so I bobbed about more than actual swimming.

I'm so jealous of those of you who live near the sea! I am loving the change in atmosphere at the lake though as the triathletes (nothing against them, and I do the odd triathlon myself) have almost all gone and the vast majority are there to enjoy the swimming rather than there to belt out a training session. 11', and 45 minutes of swimming for me yesterday, and I was pleased to be able to do 500m of head down crawl having a bit of a psychological thing about keeping my face in when it gets cold.

@RhymesWithOrange I got my wetsuit from Sigma Sports its an Orca open water swimsuit and its easy to swim in but not so easy to get off!
I struggled to find one my size anywhere, mine is an XL which is a 14 equivalent. Not sure what women size 16 + are meant to do, stay indoors and not swim I guess 🤔

I’m a curvy short, big boobs size 16 and my blue seventy sprint WMA fits brill. I got it on the recommendation of another larger lady size 18-20 as she was wearing one. But it cost a lot more than I thought I would have to pay! It’s an investment in me and my health though and my previous wetsuit is 20yrs old so if this one lasts 5yrs+ it will be worth it.
No swimming for me today too rough, hoping to tom evening at 5pm sunset if the forecast window of calm materialises...

How easy is it to get the wetsuit on and off if you're swimming solo? I often go on my own (other, strangers are about) so I'd be worried about getting stuck

It gets easier the more wears the suit has had. I have been stuck in a new suit and lay there like a fish until DH came and hoiked me out.

Some wetsuits are easier than others too - my Orca is incredibly easy, but the cheaper Zone3 I started with is a lot harder. Start with a shortie if you are worried. - they keep your core warm, but are a lot easier to escape from, as its the wrists and ankles that hold on

Mine is easy to get on/ off but I did trim the leg ends to fit better as I could never get those bits on / off and the legs were too long. I noticed my open water swim teacher had done the same to his wetsuit.

@sirvixofvixhall I think I've narrowed it down to a C skins, based largely on them being pretty much the only one to have something in stock in my size- but no tall in that model. The size chart says it should be ok, and luckily I don't have much in the chest department. I'm assuming c skins are ok to swim in, even though seem to be more made for surf/sports? In the pool I'm crawl only but mostly breaststroke in open water. Zone 3 also have a swim suit in my size but that's 2/4 mm which I fear is a bit thin.

I do swim in mine, but they are really for bodyboarding or surfing, in that you don’t have the flexibility of a thin swim wetsuit, (or just a swimsuit!)
Sometimes I find the extra buoyancy annoying in wetsuits, they lift you more to the surface and take getting used to for swimming. I think if you want to swim solidly then a thin swimming wetsuit is always going to be easier, just not anywhere near as warm. If you want to swim a bit, lark about, bodyboard the waves at times etc, then a wetsuit is nice and warm.

To swim the whole time it is easier in a sleeveless 2mm suit specifically for swimming, i do have one of these but I like the warmth of my wetsuits !

Hi all, just been for a wonderful sunset swim in the beautiful sea pool. Was a refreshing 10°. Post-swim hot chocolate starting to be necessary again!
@cmotDibbler I have exactly the same feeling about putting your face in once it starts to get chilly. It's almost a visceral response. When it's warmer I'm absolutely fine but as soon as it gets below about 14 I can't seem to keep my face it. I'm very impressed with your 500m!

Another beautiful afternoon here. Chilly water at 13c but the sun was shining.

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit how safe do you find twilight swimming? I'm thinking about doing it on Halloween

Had to contend with just watching the sea tonight and the moon shining on it. It was just too brown (pollution warning in place) and dumpy waves with a sharp drop off & outgoing tide I just didn’t feel safe going in. I may try early tom morning but the forecast isn’t good all week . Still I had a lovely early evening stone throwing competition with my youngest DD into the waves it was fun. Whilst waiting for the stars to come out. I hate the clocks changing impact it feels so dark so early..

New name in honour of trying to keep up my sea dips as long as possible this winter

@MotherForkinShirtBalls I find it ok to swim at twilight but night time is terrifying! I know some people do it (in pairs etc obviously) by sticking glow sticks in their tow floats. I do it on special occasions (and yes possibly Halloween) but too scary to do it regularly!

Ahhh love this thread!!

We usually stop OW (lakes) swimming mid-September but currently still going!!!

Trying for all year round...

This was a week and a half ago - 11 degrees although I think most of the lakes we swim in have stopped to sub 10 now, I will confirm after Wednesday!!

Full moon on Halloween this year. Fingers crossed it's not cloudy. I'm planning on a moonlit swim with a few others.

There are some organised, paid for events on too.